An Interview with David Campbell of Tillerman Tea

Whenever I taste a tea that is new to me, I embrace the opportunity to take a little detour and stroll into unfamiliar territory. I’m sure this pursuit of tea knowledge is the reason that many of us stay engaged in the industry.

I first tried Winter Oolongs a few years ago and while I enjoyed them, I had no frame of reference for what might make them special. When I recently tasted a few from Tillerman Tea, I conjured up what I now know is a fantacized vision – a frozen landscape of tea bushes touched by frost. While Winter Oolong is the name given to Taiwanese Oolong teas produced from the last harvest of the season, this doesn’t really occur in what we in the western world might consider winter conditions. While these Oolongs may not be harvested in blustery weather, they arrive on the market at a time when many of us need a bit of a tonic.

Since they are not that well known to most tea drinkers, I set out to ask Tillerman Tea owner, David Campbell, a series of questions about the winter harvest and how the season plays into the character of the tea.

David Campbell at Toronto Tea Festival, early Feb. (photo courtesy of Sarah Zinman)

David is a fellow Canadian who lives in Napa, California. He was recently in town for The Toronto Tea Festival. A life-long enthusiast of tea and all it encompasses, he was pleased when his former career in the wine industry took him frequently to Taiwan where he was able to explore the region’s unique teas and terroir. He made loyal connections with some of Taiwan’s small batch tea farmers and started Tillerman Tea in 2007. He specializes in Taiwan Oolong teas and usually has a dozen or so on offer, all from recent harvests.

(I’ve interspersed pictures of 3 Tillerman Tea Winter Oolongs throughout the interview with notes in the captions on dry leaf, wet leaf and liquor. All are lightly oxidized 15%-23% and multiple infusions are possible with all.)

Q & A

Is the harvesting of Winter Oolong connected to the lunar calendar or to temperatures?

There is no real connection to the lunar calendar except insofar as the lunar calendar determines when the seasons begin. The mid-autumn festival, for example, is on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar year, generally later September but sometimes early October, when what we call autumn is really just beginning. The harvest can begin in early September and finish in mid-November. The timing is weather related but not strictly tied to temperature.

How cold does it get during harvest time?

In the high mountain areas it can get quite cold during the harvest. In lower lying gardens it generally is temperate. (photo was taken after harvest)

It's rare to see snow like this during harvest. This photo was taken just after the harvest when the tea bushes were dormant. (photo courtesy of David Campbell)

What is the window of time for the harvest?

The harvest can extend from late September through mid-November. Generally lower, warmer areas are harvested first and the high elevations, which are significantly cooler, are harvested later.

Is the manufacturing process different because of the cooler season?

No, the methods of manufacture are essentially the same for spring and winter teas.

How long have the plants been resting between harvests?

That depends. Whereas high mountain areas will generally have only two harvests per year (e.g. May and November), lower areas will often get three, four or even six harvests per year.

Cuifeng Gaoshan, Winter, 2017

Cuifeng Gaoshan Oolong, Winter 2017, dry leaf - it takes great skill and many hours to roll this multi leaf branch tip into a tight ball. The golden section is stem. Grown at 1800m

After several infusions, the leaves begin to unfurl revealing a fully intact multi leaf branch tip complete with leaf bud at its tip. Good Gaoshan teas should have 3 to 4 leaves with bud per stem. 15% oxidation

Cuifeng liquor - mouthfeel is viscous, smooth and roomy - a result of seasonal pectin in the leaf. Aroma immediately presents floral. There is a whiff of hyacinth and the scent of tarragon. Taste was sweet with flavours of ripe Italia grape and a hint of pine shoots.

Is there a geographic area that produces the best winter Oolongs?

Well, this is bound to get me into trouble with some of the growers with whom I work, but I would say that the most distinctive differences (not necessarily the best tea) between spring and winter teas are to be found at high elevations. This is because the seasonal variation in temperature tends to be greater. That said, global climate change is affecting tea areas throughout Taiwan and the differences between spring and winter are becoming less pronounced.

The final notes of these teas linger longer – is there a reason for that?

Winter harvests tend to be colder than spring ones, when the plant is coming out of a long rest period. The leaves are thicker and contain higher pectin levels. As a result, the tea is less aromatic but has a richer mouthfeel and a more persistent finish.

Can they be aged?

If they are high quality teas that are processed for ageing (given a roast,) yes, they can be.

Dong Ding Roasted Oolong, Winter, 2017

It may be that roasting makes these leaves a bit more brittle so fewer leaves adhere to the stems. The dry bundles contain a few leaves each. Leaves appear whole and resilient in spite of the work out they receive in manufacture. This one is 23% oxidation.

Dong Ding liquor is rich amber in colour. Roast (40%) is present in both aroma and taste. Mouthfeel is velvety. The melange of flavours co-mingle nicely occasionally popping out to reveal dried black cherry, a hint of elder flower and roasted cacao. The finish lingers long after the flavours have played out.

Are Winter Oolongs a relatively new idea to extend the harvesting season or have they been around for a while?

No, not at all. Winter tea has been produced since camellia sinensis was introduced to Taiwan. Although some plants arrived earlier, of course, the main influx began around 1810. Gao shan (High Mountain) teas really have been produced only since the 1980’s but winter production has been a part of the equation since the beginning.

As an Ontarian, I think of the obvious comparison to ice wine. Are there any similarities? – for example are more sugars present in the leaf in cooler temps?

Actually, it is not uncommon the find “frozen tea” in Taiwan – the aroma has a distinct green bean character. Winter tea, however, doesn’t have higher sugars but it does generally have higher pectin levels and thicker leaves. These influence the feel of the tea in the mouth.

Lishan Gaoshan Oolong, Winter 2017

Little bundles of Lishan Gaoshan Oolong dry leaves are similar in appearance to the Cuifeng, but slightly smaller. Both have a varnished jade appearance with sections of stem a golden yellow hue.

The Lishan Gaoshan wet leaves are the branch tip of mostly mature leaves like the Cuifeng and made from the same cultivar, Qing Xin Oolong. The branch tips appear a bit shorter than the Cuifeng. The maker is the same as for Cuifeng but grown at a higher elevation (2400m). 15% oxidation

Lishan Gaoshan liquor is yellow/pale green and gives off a floral scent as soon as water hits leaf. It's a sign of good flavours to follow. It has a silky mouthfeel, with floral notes, ending with buttery bakery and mild citron

Are there counterfeits? And if so, how can the buyer/consumer tell?

Counterfeit teas abound in the Taiwan tea trade and more tea is sold as Taiwanese than the country produces. The teas (often pretty good – one, whose non-Taiwanese nature was unknown to the judges – just won a competition in Lugu. It created quite a scandal when the truth came out.) This is a problem for consumers of both spring and winter tea. One obvious “red flag” is price. Taiwanese tea is expensive and if you find a deal that seems too good to be true it likely is. The best way to ensure getting true Taiwanese tea, however, is to know your sources; e.g. deal only with vendors who take the trouble to disclose the lineage of the tea you want to purchase. Get to know your vendors and deal with those you can trust.

• • •

Here in the northern part of the northern half of the globe, the days are lengthening and light is finally coming back into our lives, but it is still winter. Winter Oolongs may just be the restorative antidote to cabin fever as we become impatient for spring. I’ve also tried some refreshing cold infusions of these teas – looks like they’ll be on my personal tea menu for many more months.

Visit Tillerman Tea for more detailed information about Taiwan’s tea terroir and the makers who craft the Oolongs featured in their catalogue. They offer free North American shipping on any order.

In its sixth year, and now one of the biggest consumer tea festivals in North America, The Toronto Tea Festival is preparing for a large crowd of tea fans – both novices and connoisseurs and everything in between. The weekend event will be taking place at Toronto’s Reference Library in the Appel Salon Saturday February 3rd and Sunday, 4th, from 10am – 5pm.

VIP Evening

This year a VIP screening of The Tea Explorer is taking place on Friday evening, Feb. 2nd. This film documents Jeff Fuch’s tea explorations along the Ancient Tea Horse Road through the Himalayas. Fuchs and filmmaker Andrew Gregg will be on hand to answer questions. Bonus – Jeff will also be providing a tasting of beautiful Pu’er and other fine teas.

Advance Your Tea Knowledge

The Toronto weather is often snowy and blustery outside the festival. The large glass windows of the salon seem to encase the satisfied crowd like hands around a restorative cup of warm tea.

I always look forward to connecting with tea lovers and sharing some knowledge. This year I’ll be speaking on Saturday Feb. 3rd. at 12.30pm. “Tea Essentials” will aim to demystify the world of high end loose leaf tea, providing info that will enable those wanting to move to new levels of tea love. I’ll have my award-winning The Tea Book on hand for purchase and signing after my talk and throughout the festival.

Pictorial Highlights of the Past Five Years:

Master of Ceremonies, Bill Kamula. He established the Tea Sommelier Program at George Brown College and has been head instructor for the past 9 years. He also co-chairs The Tea Guild of Canada.

Lotus flower

Korean Darye tea ceremony

Kevin Gascoyne at the Camellia Sinensis booth

Momo Yoshida Walden (L) and her sister at the Momo Tea booth

Sorlie Madox of Secret Tea Time

Joel Grossman of Capital Tea

Me, signing The Tea Book in 2016

Tickets

* If you take your chance at the door, arrive early as only a limited amount of walk up tickets will be released for sale each morning. Best to buy online! Tickets for the VIP screening of The Tea Explorer are only available online.

There are still some good suggestions on the previous post (2013), but so much has happened in the tea world and my tea life that I thought it deserved an update.

curati.co

I’m often asked which teas I can recommend and where to buy them. “Where can I find fine quality tea that is fresh and that I can trust to be sourced directly?” Since I don’t sell tea, I provide names of vendors I trust, but inevitably people forget what I’ve told them or lose the paper they wrote it down on.

I’m thrilled to say that I can now direct everyone to curati.co. Earlier this year they invited me to recommend my favourites to feature in the tea category on their shop site. They also made some videos of ‘moi’ describing the teas and tea category in general.

It’s an expert driven concept, and I’m sharing “curator” title with some pretty illustrious chefs and culinary stars. Here’s how the concept is described on their site:

“What you’ll find on this site are collections of the best of the best of the best small-batch goods in the world, curated by experts, collected for you, the food-curious.”

A Movable Tea

A large portion of my suggestions this time around relate to travelling with tea, whether in town or miles away. Tea lovers believe that having the tools to improve the ease of taking tea is essential as you move through your day, no matter where you are.

Bonavita’s Travel Kettle:

Bonavita's versatile stanless steel kettle

What’s the first thing we do once we’ve decided which tea to make? Put the kettle on of course! Bonavita makes a small lightweight .5 litre (2 cup) travel kettle that has an ‘on’ indicator, automatic shut off, tight-fitting lid and brushed stainless interior/exterior. I’ve used it on several journeys. This is for the giftee who falls into a morning gloom because they have to endure bad hotel tea. They now have the freedom to make their favourite tea while away from home! Make life even sweeter by tucking some fine tea sample packs into the kettle for their journey! Bonavita travel kettle is available as 110v on Amazon for $24.97 US or in dual voltage, from Harney and Sons, $54.95 US. (free shipping on orders over $50)

Timolino’s 17 oz Travette Tea Maker

Timolino Vacuum Tea Pot: nicely designed and available in three colours

I love the creamy colour of this versatile tea pot – like unsalted natural butter or my favourite Fiat colour. As you can see from the pic on the right, this thermal teapot comes with a removable nylon infuser which is nice and deep with ample room for leaves to steep. I say removable, because it’s nice to have the option to steep the leaves loose in the pot if desired. It has a non slip base which is a great advantage if your surface isn’t completely level. It doesn’t seal because it has a pour opening, so while it is fantastic for keeping tea warm while you are away from home, it won’t travel well in your back pack! The Timolino Travette, is also available in metallic red and stainless steel. Available from Tea Leafs for $34.00 US (free shipping on orders over $75)

FORLIFE Glass Lucidity Brew-in-Cup

FORLIFE glass mug with infuser

Glass is really the best material for enjoying tea. See how gorgeous a richly coloured tea looks when the light shines through. While not double walled, this is still a versatile workplace vessel. The stainless infuser is cone-shaped, drawing the steeped tea down into the cup. The lid can be used to hold the infuser when it comes out of the cup. Available at ForLife $23.00 plus shipping (only within the US). Also available on Amazon for $22.79 US.

Teapots

Tiny Kyusu

The tiniest kyusu I've found. Brilliant for serving gyokuro

I purchased this ‘lovely’ recently and have been enjoying it often. Sometimes I just look at it in wonder. I’ve placed the spoon next to it in the photo, so you get a sense of scale. It really is small, so it’s perfect for making Gyokuro, (high grade of Japanese green tea) and other teas to treasure and consume in small amounts. If cushioned well it would also be wonderful to take on a trip. Inside, is a wire mesh infusion band which eliminates the need to strain, but gives the leaves their own space. Available at In Pursuit of Tea for $28.70 US.

For Life ‘Dew’ Teapot

The For Life Dew Teapot - satiny smooth

The overal look of this teapot is sleek but humble. It has beautiful form that doesn’t get in the way of function. If your giftee likes a good size mug of tea, this pot will perform nicely. It comes in two sizes: 14 oz and 32 oz. It has an oh so satiny finish, deep infuser, nice fitting lid and a choice of soft colours. Available at The Tea Table 14 oz. $30US and 32oz. $45US. Shipping to US and Canada

The Tea Book

The Tea Book (I'm a little biased)

The Tea Book, DK Publishing (Penguin Random House), by Linda Gaylard (me) is available at online booksellers Amazon.com, .co.uk, .ca and Chapters Indigo . Check out your local bookseller first to see if they have it. Suggested retail price. $24 CDN, $22 US.

Winner of the 2017 Best Tea Publication at World Tea Awards, The Tea Book is now available in 12 languages. There have been quite a few reviews of The Tea Book. Here are a few quotes:

“The book provides an excellent foundation to explore the immense world of tea, and it is Gaylard’s ambition to provide an accessible introduction to tea for beginners and more seasoned drinkers.”, Drew Bednasek, Tea Explorer

“Any loose-leaf tea-lover can keep busy and happy for months with the novel recipes that Gaylard introduces. The Tea Book is a wealth of knowledge for anyone looking to step beyond the normal tea bag and to be innovative with loose-leaf tea.” Darin Cook, eatdrink.ca

“A tea primer that masterfully unfolds the story of the tea plant, complete with a flavor wheel and the most comprehensive recipes for mixed tea beverages (both alcoholic and alcohol-free) that I’ve ever seen! Linda makes the world of tea beautiful, accessible and relevant in today’s fast-paced society.” Jen Piccotti, An International Tea Moment

“Each page is beautifully laid out and there are tons of illustrations that make my tea-filled heart very happy.” Nicole Martin, Tea For Me Please

Bitters – The Tea Cocktail’s best complement

My choices for must-have bitters to spike your tea cocktails

Teapot bitters anyone? I found this and others amidst a massive bitters collection at BYOB, a shop where you can get kitted out with every imaginable cocktail product. It was at this store that I found a wall of bitters whilst researching ingredients for cocktails for The Tea Book. There are dozens that would give a little extra something to any tea cocktail, but these four stand out for me. No respectable bitters company (and there are many) will divulge all the ingredients in their distillations, but some basics are listed. I’m happy to update that 3 of the bitters featured here are now available at curati.co. (I’ve linked the bitters to the site).

Giving

Designer Beth Mueller's Creamer, Cup and Plate

Luv is a community of designers that is all about giving. 50% of net profits from the sale of each item on their website goes to a charity chosen from their list, which includes War Child, Feed the Children, Unicef, and more. They have a nice selection of custom designed gifts including jewellery, men’s accessories and items for the home. I spotted a few tea-related items designed by Beth Mueller. The vintage looking creamer on the left is listed as a vase, but would make a nice little pitcher for milk, $24 US. The cup/mug has a pretty graphic and would accommodate a nice size cuppa $32 US. The plate is for snacks – what else? $52 US.

As the summer progresses and seasonal native plants begin their cycle of growth, attraction, and fruit bearing, I like to plod through my patch of the city to familiar spots where I find berries, leaves and flowers. This neighbourhood is a very built up residential area in midtown Toronto in close proximity to colleges and tourist attractions, and in spite of that there are still a few little oases of wild that exist mostly through abandonment and neglect.

I have several personal rules for foraging:

Don’t trespass, unless of course it is on a vacant lot that is accessible.

Always leave lots of fruit and flowers for the birds and the pollinators.

Go quietly about your foraging.

Be discreet as to those with whom you share foraging locations – not everyone is respectful of the need to harvest in moderation.

Avoid areas where dogs frequent

Wash your gatherings well in cold gently running water

My kit includes scissors, a 3 quart fruit basket with handle, 1 pint and ½ pint berry boxes. I loop a stretch elastic to hold the basket around my waist for hands-free picking.

Mulberry Tisane

Black Mulberries are in abundance throughout July in this part of the world and while their sweet juice-filled berries are a fleeting pleasure, the leaves can be harvested throughout the growing season. Because the trees are found in so many parts of the world, I’m going to focus on the leaves of this one plant and demonstrate how to make a sweet tisane that will be refreshing hot or cold. You’ll be happy you’ve put it by to enjoy throughout the year.

Smaller Mulberry leaves are ideal for rolling and drying to make a sweet tisanes

The Japanese make a tisane called Kuwacha using the White Mulberry (Morus Alba). I haven’t tried it, but have read that it has a similar flavour to Sencha, which is hard to imagine…

For those of us unable to grow true tea (Camellia Sinensis), Mulberry leaves present an opportunity to pretend we are making tea. The process is similar enough to say, white tea, that for a few suspended moments. we can imagine…

The leaves of the Black Mulberry can be wilted, rolled and air dried to create a pleasant, mildly sweet tisane. The Black Mulberry (Morus Nigra) found throughout Europe and North America is of the same genus, but a different species of Mulberry than that found in Asia – the kind silk worms love – but similar enough and safe to consume.

Here’s how:

Pick the smallest leaves, about 1 ½ to 2 inches in diameter.

Rinse them in cold water and pat dry.

Let them wither until they are pliable – depending on the weather, under an hour

Roll them up loosely shiny side in

Now roll them briskly between your palms until they hold their shape. This allows some of the leaf juices to surface

Let them dry for a day or two

Freshly picked Mulberry leaf withered for one hour

Mulberry leaf rolled with shiny side in

Mulberry leaf dry - several days later

Put 10 – 15 leaves into a small vessel (I like to use a gaiwan) and pour over with boiling water. Infuse for 5 minutes.

Pour over with boiling water and infuse for 5 minutes

Mulberry leaves slowly unfurl, infusing the water with a fresh, sweet flavour

While researching the Mulberry leaf for The Tea Book (page 140), I discovered that the leaf has traditionally been used to treat symptoms of coughs, cold, flu and fever, sore throat and headache. I’ve enjoyed this tisane with no problems, but as with any herb, don’t overdo it. If you have doubts, ask your health practitioner if they think it is safe for you.

Apart from its pleasant sweetness, the most enjoyable part of this exercise is harvesting the leaf, especially when the berries are in season. One for the basket, one for me! The leaves can be harvested for several more months, so happy foraging!

As I plan and plot my path through the upcoming World Tea Expo 2017, I thought I’d have a peak at some of my experiences from last year’s expo to inspire and prepare me for this year’s show.

In 2016, I had very little time to cruise around the exhibit floor because I was book signing The Tea Book at Nepali Tea Traders booth for a few hours every afternoon. In the mornings I managed to attend a brilliant line up of educational sessions, view a host of innovative products, reunite with warm and supportive tea colleagues and of course, taste some fine tea. After 2 years in Long Beach, California, the expo returned to the Las Vegas Convention Centre. It’s hard to describe LV as home, but it is becoming familiar to me now, having visited 6 times. Here are some of my highlights – in no particular order, chronologically or otherwise.

Every afternoon I could be found at Nepali Tea Traders booth, book signing and sipping their refined teas

On the right is the lovely Maggie LeBeau of NTT on the last day of WTE

Reunions

Between conference sessions I spotted Chloe Liang of the China International Tea Cultural Institute, Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China. I met her at the Institute 2012 and hadn’t seen her since.

with Chloe Liang during a break in conference sessions, 2016

With Chloe, 2012 at the Institute in Hangzhou, China

Things I learned at Conference Sessions

“Information is not knowledge.” James Norwood Pratt, Re-Evaluating Tea Education

“Getting the truth in tea education is not so easy.” Austin Hodge (SevenCups), Re-Evaluating Tea Education

“Fermentation is an energy-releasing metabolic process in which an organism converts carbohydrates (starch and sugar) into an alcohol or acid by enzymatic action.” Selena Ahmed, assistant professor of Sustainable Food Systems, Montana State University Pu-erh and the Science of Fermentation

Working With the Media: Learn from Top Tea Editors

It was an honour to be asked by Aaron Keil of akPR, media co-ordinator for World Tea Expo, to participate on a panel that he had assembled for one of the conference sessions. It was very well-attended and good advice was gleaned from the editors regarding how to pitch an article, how to follow up and how to respect guidelines when working with the media. Geoffrey Norman wrote a good post about the session on Steep Stories.

Tea and Food Pairing in the Sky

As the sun was starting to set over the Las Vegas cityscape, a grand event was warming up at Alizé restaurant on the 56th floor of The Palms Casino and Resort. Austin Hodge of Seven Cups greeted the arriving VIP guests while Alizé’s chef Mark Purdy in his kitchen, assembled culinary constructions laced with tea ingredients. As night fell and the “only in Las Vegas” views brightened through the restaurant’s glass windows, the evening unfolded with industry awards, accolades, glamour, and of course serious eating. Tea played the centre stage and we were wowed as beautifully plated course after course was paired with its tea soul mate. Near the kitchen, Zhuping Hodge of Seven Cups properly and expertly prepared all the teas – I was in awe.

Exhibit Floor

I had a speed visit of the exhibit floor each day. It was a “capsule” experience and here are the highlights.

Winner’s Circle

Rona Tison featuring Ito En's award winning Matcha (I think). Anyone know who the gent is? Also notice the new business launch pad in the background.

In Search of the Green Lantern Jar

From the moment I laid eyes on a picture of this green-glazed lantern jar, I became obsessed with finding it. On the last day of the expo, I managed to locate it just a few hours before closing. Like many things we dream about, when seen in person, they are much more humble. This piece was simple and clean with a glass-like finish in a soothing jade/sage shade of green. It was part of a larger collection that included small drinking cups and beautiful teas. Kathy Liang, president of Beijing Zhen Lu Hao Tea Co., Ltd. was just as elegant as her fine tea ware and exquisite teas. I wish I’d had more time to visit (there was a translator on site at her booth), but I was grateful to have the short half hour. The lesson learned: be sure to visit the exhibitors you are keen to see as they may not be back next year (I don’t see this company on the exhibitor list for 2017).

The characters on the jar read - Jiu Qu Hong Mei - which translates as Nine (Bend) Red Plum. I have some of this tea and it has all the sweet deep qualities you might expect from the best hong cha.

Teapots

Oh so little time to see what’s new in the teapot world, but I spotted these.

A very tiny teapot. I don't know where I saw this, but I know that Sara Shacket of Tea Happiness is holding it.

Satin glazed and ergonomically designed. The new "Dew" teapot from For Life

Random Delights

Kenyan Purple Leaf Tea

Purple Kenyan Tea received quite a bit of attention on the exhibit floor

A fantastic party tea. Add lemon and watch it turn pink!

Young Mountain Tea

Young Mountain Tea - a good selection of rares teas from across India

Young Mountain carries Indi's Gold from the Nilgiris, India

SouthmaTea

Victoria De La Torre of SouthmaTea with an assortment of Argentinian teas and Yerba Mate

Pu’er Storage

Bamboo Pu'er Tea packaging at Bolian Pu'er Tea (Pure Pu'er Tea)

Probably a good way to store Pu'er as the box allows for air circulation.

And lastly, World Tea Expo is also about making new friends. I met these two cool guys from Jojo Tea, Miami. Michael Ortiz and Tico Aran just opened a tea tasting room in Miami that has been described as a “Speak Easy for Tea”. From pictures that I’ve seen, it looks ethereal and quiet, tucked away from its urban setting – the perfect way to retreat into a world that is completely about tea.

At the Palms tea pairing with Mike Ortiz (left) and Tico Aran of Jojo Tea, Miami

I have always been captivated by the line in Leonard Cohen’s Suzanne “She feeds you tea and oranges that come all the way from China”. I recently learned that this line was inspired by Cohen’s introduction, by his friend Suzanne, to Constant Comment®, an orange spice tea blend from Bigelow.

Constant Comment was one of the few teas (all loose leaf) that sat on my shelf when I set up house in a garage in Banff, Alberta (housing was scarce in the 70′s). I remember that it became a running joke that I substituted the words “constantly commenting” while singing along with Crosby, Stills and Nash’s “Helplessly Hoping”. It was perhaps these happy associations that I have with this tea that brought about my own version of the blend on page 62 of The Tea Book.

A Slice of Sunshine

One of the bright spots during Canada’s dreary months of January and February, is the arrival of sun-soaked citrus in our local food shops. There are fewer varieties than we used to see several decades ago – I haven’t been able to find Temple oranges in years and one has to hunt to find Seville oranges for marmalade. Blood oranges however, are now readily available and most consumers understand how to enjoy them. I remember my first encounter with blood oranges whilst travelling on a train from Trieste to Ljubljana. A young local sitting across from us started to peel an orange and he generously offered me a piece. When I learned it was a “blood” orange and noticed the garnet colour of sections of the fruit, I thought it had gone bad and gracefully declined his offer, which of course, I now regret, because the first taste of a blood orange is to be remembered with pleasure. It was a decade later before I had a real taste of this exotic variety and its ability to cheer and colour desserts and salads.

Apart from spicy orange tea blends, how does the orange pair with tea types? Hopefully by now you know that Orange Pekoe is a grade of tea, not a flavour, so any similarity to citrus is purely coincidental. We could start with some bright and brisk Sri Lankan teas. A wee bit of astringency is probably a good complement to the sweet and tangy flavours of citrus.

I’ve pulled 4 teas from my tea chest – 2 Ceylon OP’s, one Taiwanese Oolong and a Kenyan OP. They’re pictured above. The oranges: honey tangerine, Blood orange (Moro), Navel and Cara Cara (A Navel orange with red flesh). All 4 teas paired nicely with the oranges. I was surprised at how well the Bao Chong Oolong handled the citrus and worked particularly well with blood orange. The 2 Ceylon teas from Thotulagalla and Lumbini Estates were lovely and followed the citrus in a “comme il faut” sort of way. The Kenyan was a hearty participant with flavours that ventured toward the bright tang of citrus, so a lucky contender.

Finale

Every tea exercise has to have a finale, so I’ve made a citrus tart. Saffron Tea’s 2nd flush Darjeeling from Jungpana Estates is the chosen tea.

Toronto Tea Festival, Saturday & Sunday, January 28th – 29th

The end of January is shaping up to be an inspiring finale to Hot Tea Month, which is mostly celebrated in the US where it is necessary to add the word “Hot” to the title. Stateside, “tea” on its own usually refers to iced tea – not a cozy image for these short cold days. In Canada we seem to have adopted this celebration, keeping all three words intact, even if one of them is redundant.

In perfect sync with the first day of Chinese Lunar New Year (year of the Rooster), The Toronto Tea Festival’s 5th year kicks off Saturday morning. Each year it grows in numbers and scope of programming. I’ve met attendees who wait all year for this event in order to refresh their reserves of tea and leave laden with lovely tea from a variety of terroirs. I haven’t missed a year. I’ve been a speaker for several years and will be again this year.

Sartorial Tea

On the festival’s first day, Saturday January 28th, 11am, I’ll be presenting “Sartorial Tea: 1000 Years of Tea Fads, Fortunes and Failures” - An historical overview of how style and fashion fads have been influenced by international tea culture. (My previous career is intruding on my tea career…) The next morning at 10.30am, Sunday January 29th, I’ll be presenting a tasting of Chinese Black Teas (Hong cha) along with other tea sommeliers and industry leaders at the festival’s Tasting with Tea Sommeliers. I will also have The Tea Book on hand for those who wish to purchase ($24). I’ll be a guest for a few hours each day at the Tea Guild of Canada table.

School of Oolong

In town from Ottawa, and with a booth at the fest, the folks from Zhen Tea have reserved the Friday evening before the festival, to present an in depth profile of Three flights of Oolong, inviting you to taste the difference in grade, cultivar, and process – tasting 9 Oolongs in total. This event is taking place in downtown Toronto Friday January 27th, 6.00 – 8.30pm at 301 Richmond St., Rm 303, (wear no perfume please) fee $50.

Zhen is a skilled Chinese tea taster and well acquainted with the finer points of “listening to the leaf through taste”. This workshop is a rare opportunity to gain a deeper knowledge of Oolong and is therefore recommended for those with intermediate or advanced level tea skills. Bring your newly acquired skills to the Festival the next morning!

On Saturday, November 5, 10am – 5pm, The Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton Ontario will hold its first Tea Festival.

I’m pleased to have been invited to speak. My topic – The Many Ways of Tea: Tea’s Journey Around the World. If you are in the Hamilton, Ontario region, come and participate. I’m scheduled to speak at 1pm and 4pm. In between I’ll be book signing The Tea Book.

Advancing the Business of Tea

In World Tea Expo’s 14 years, the popularity of tea has grown in North America and beyond. The market is crowded with online retailers – some with big dreams. How can the industry support them and what’s the next step? The expo’s tagline “Advancing the Business of Tea”, suggests that there is work to be done examining other markets and ways in which tea and all its supporting product can be exploited (in a good way) and the consumer can be educated. Have a look at the White Paper, a compendium of articles by tea industry practitioners that was published recently to support the theme of this year’s expo and to demonstrate how tea can benefit and enhance vertical markets.

World Tea Expo's White Paper

According to WTE Demographics, over 3500 tea professionals attend World Tea Expo. 69% of attendees are from the US (mostly the west coast) and 29% from other countries. Some are there to acquire the knowledge and contacts needed to start a tea business. Other tea professionals like myself, attend to learn of the latest trends, science and products that are now available. One can never over-estimate the draw of being surrounded by people with a common passion – networking and socialising play an important role in building a tea business.

The Conference Sessions

It’s impossible to attend as many conference sessions as I would like, but I’ve managed to narrow it down to these few.

Wednesday, June 15th

8am North America: The New Cutting Edge of Specialty Tea Kevin Gascoyne

Friday, June 17

8am Being Provocative: The Art of Merchandising Bill Waddington

9.45 In 2050, Will There Still Be Tea? Nigel Melican

11am Tea Vessels = A Way To Steep Up Sales Darlene Meyers-Perry

The Exhibit Floor

I prefer to meander the exhibit floor to see what catches my eye. Some years though, I’ve had regrets – missing booths that were buzzed about on blogs. I’d love to hear from you if you have any suggestions of exhibitors I should visit. I’m sure I’ll miss a few things again this year, but I’ve done a bit of research and here are a few selections.

Booth 707 I have adored their teas since this company first launched a few years ago. They work closely with tea farmer co-ops in Nepal. So glad they are coming back to the expo. I’m pleased to announce that I will be a guest at their booth, signing The Tea Book on Wednesday and Thursday at 2pm. Come by and sample their remarkable Himalayan teas, fresh from the 2016 harvest!

The sleek and sophisticated Teforia

Teforia:Booth 318 Last year Teforia was cloaked in secrecy hidden inside a cube and viewed by invitation only. I was fortunate to be invited to see the infuser for real and taste the result of its unique and precise processes. I’ve been following their progress over this past year and I’m keen to see and taste now that Teforia is out of the closet (so to speak).

For Life's new "Dew" teapot with satiny finish

For Life: Booth 518 Always my favourite with colour and sleek practical design. A favourite also of tea rooms for ease of use. They are introducing the new satin finish “Dew Teapot”. Can’t wait to see it up close.

Tea Diffuser, by Cupco Booth 812 Hmmm – very curious. Couldn’t find out anything about this diffuser on their website, but here’s how it is described on WTE site “The safest and most effective way to diffuse the real and right tea work all day and night to spread scents around your store” – Now aren’t you curious??

Scentone Tea Aroma Kit Booth 149 A concept kit from S. Korea. Hard to tell whether this kit is aimed at only pure tea (Camellia sinensis) or includes the tastes of Korea’s very popular herbal infusions. I expect the kit is meant to be a teaching/learning tool for tasters and sommeliers. It comes with an aroma wheel, aroma profiler and visual impression card.

Hard to tell the jar's size from the photo. Looking forward to seeing it in person.

Celadon-glazed (Dongqing-glazed) Lantern Jar Booth 126 The makers of this beautiful jar use techniques long forgotten in an attempt to recreate an old glazing technique. The Beijing Zhenluhao Tea Co. Ltd. has spent years trying to match the original Qing dynasty glaze and they now say they have reproduced it. “Celadon glazed porcelain, originated in Jiangxi procince’s Jingdezhen, it was first made during Emperor Yongzheng’s reign during the Qing dynasty.” I’m looking forward to seeing it up close – very carefully!

Other booths I’m visiting, in no particular order:

Joseph Wesley Tea, Booth 833

Laos Tea, Booth 824

Cameron Tea Taiwan, Booth 524

The Tea Room Chocolate and Tea Co., Booth 826

Bitaco Unique Colombian Tea Booth 733

Anhui Shengchen Food Co. Ltd. Booth 233

Bredemeijer USA (teapots) Booth 407

Ido Co. Ltd. Fermented Korean Herbal “tea”, Booth 626

Xin Mu Corporation (Taiwan) Booth 101

I will post as often as I’m able, although there are some wonderful things happening after hours off-campus. I’ve learned over the years that I’ve been attending, that it’s important to leave time for spontaneity.

Some special events:

June 15th 5.30pm World Tea Awards The Tea Book is a finalist for best publication

This prestige event promises to bring tea and food pairing to a whole new level and at a sky-high venue. Held at Michelin-starred Alizé restaurant at the top of the Palms Casino Resort, it is perhaps the first tea event of its kind in North America. Barbara Fairchild, former editor-in-chief of Bon Appétit magazine, will host, chef Mark Purdy will create seven tea pairing courses and Seven Cups Fine Teas of Tucson, Arizona will furnish the tea – exquisite Chinese tea. Dignitaries from China and India will be present to receive top honours from the International Specialty Tea Association for the quality and purity of their tea. If all goes well, this culinary event will convince us that when you bring fine tea and fine food together, not only will they get along, they will develop a lasting attraction.

1906

As I continue to examine Fannie Farmer’s earnest observations and advice on tea in her Boston Cooking School Cookbook, it might be useful to put her book into the context of the world in which she and her readers live.

Wilfred Laurier is Prime Minister of Canada

Theodore Roosevelt is president of the USA

As mentioned in Part 1 of this post, The US establishes the Food and Drug Act to ensure that only food that passes inspection may be shipped interstate.

The Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company is formed (Kellogg)

Qing Imperial anti-opium edict signed in China

The Plaza Hotel opens in New York City

Glasgow Style, Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau are present in design and architecture

Meiji period exports from Japan are popular in the west (Europe and N. America)

Women’s Suffrage movement is gaining momentum

Art Nouveau-style cover from BCS Magazine, 1906

Page 33 top – “brands”, proteid and nutriments!

This section of Fannie Farmer’s notes on tea is loaded with information, both amusing and perplexing. There’s a lot of rich material here. In this installment, I’ll examine the top half of the page. Follow along with the highlighted entries and the bits around them:

Page 33 top

First she identifies for the reader, the most popular types of tea at the time.

“familiar brands” – Tea blends and types must have become so much a part of the everyday that they were referred to as brands. (like “hoovering the carpet”)

“Formosa” – The west still referred to Taiwan as Formosa at this time. It wasn’t until after WWII that English speaking nations referred to the island as Taiwan.

“Orange Pekoe” – Fannie was right that Flowery Pekoe was made from the youngest leaves, but got it wrong when she asserted that Orange Pekoe was scented with orange leaves. Like many to this day, she had the misguided belief that the word “Orange” represented tea flavour, when it actually represented a standard or grade referencing the Dutch Royal House of Orange.

Most green tea consumed in America was sourced in Japan, but it wasn’t necessarily the best green tea. This 1906 edition of her cookbook predates the Communist revolution in China where fairly good green tea was still being produced, but because Japan was more amenable to trade with the west, most green tea bound for the U.S. was sourced there.

What is Proteid? – Proteid is an archaic term that refers to organic matter containing proteins and amino acids. Some definitions:

i. A complex biomolecule predominantly made of polypeptides. Found in all living matter.

ii. Any organic material rich in proteid molecules considered a dietary source of essential amino acids.

Nutriment – Farmer claims that tea holds little nutrition as an infusion, but becomes more nutritious with the addition of milk and sugar. Sugar is now held in low regard by many health professionals. The modern approach to tea is to take it clear without any additions, unless it is a black tea blend or Masala Chai. While we don’t usually refer to them as nutrients, we know that tea (particularly green tea) contains components that contribute to overall wellness. Polyphenols, flavinoids, Amino acids and Vitamin C are all present in tea.

Theine def.- another name for caffeine, esp when present in tea

Tannic Acid -Tea does not contain tannic acid, the chemical used to soften leather. Tea does contain tannins. They become thearubigens as a result of oxidation. There is a good article on the website, Rate Tea about tannins. Farmer claims that tea injures the stomach lining. This would not be caused by tannins. It is possible that too much caffeine could cause nausea and stomach upset.

Farmer’s approach throughout the book is to awaken our interest in what we eat, to better the human race through scientific cookery. “It is my wish…that (the cookbook) may awaken an interest through its condensed scientific knowledge which will lead to deeper thought and broader study of what to eat.” – FMF

While the language and recipes are quaint, her knowledge of tea, given the time, was quite good. Hers was a solitary voice in the world of cookery, with a desire to define and explain what we eat and drink.